About

On a late September night in 2010, my sister and I stood on the balcony of my mother’s apartment in Lagos catching up on our respective lives. We had not seen each other in years and there was much to share. There had been yet another power failure in the neighborhood and as we chatted away, we found ourselves back in a place where ‘no light’ was a regular occurrence in our youth. “Do you remember telling us all those wonderful stories when I was young”, my sister asked. “Whenever there was a power cut, we’d get the lantern, then the neighbor’s kids and myself would sit on the balcony and you’d tell us these wonderful stories. You told us lots of stories and each day we would be praying for the night to come so we could listen to more stories. I still remember some of those stories. Where did those stories come from? Do you remember them? Do you still tell stories?”

I have always been fascinated by stories and have come to understand that there is so much wisdom and teachings that we can get from each other when we sit down to share the stories of our life journey – the ups, the downs, the middles and everything in between. As an adult, the kitchen table has taken the place of the lantern from my youth and the tales I now tell are more personal stories from my life journey. This is where OutTales around the Fire comes in.

Launched in June 2011, OutTales around the Fire provides a platform for same gender loving people to come together and share stories about moments from their life’s journey. The tales are aimed at generating a sense of connection, community and healing amongst same gender loving people.

We all love stories and I believe everybody has a story to tell. I hope that this forum can be a platform where we as same gender loving people can connect through the sharing of tales from our life journey.

Contributors are welcome to submit their stories in written, audio or video form. Stories can be sent to outtales@yahoo.com.

If for some reason or another, you do not wish your name to appear as the author of the story you submit, please do say so in your email and include a pseudonym to accompany the story.

I look forward to sitting round the campfire with you and sharing tales from our lives, as same gender loving people.

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Stories help us. They are teachers. They are medicine. They keep us connected to what matters. They keep us awake. This has always been true – Mark Nepo (As Far as the Heart Can See: Stories to Illuminate the Soul)

I just discovered your blog today. I’ve read your “About” page and am looking forward to reading more. This concept is novel and exciting. I’m following your site now and know I’ll return many times in the future! Thank you for creating this! 🙂